Automatic switch



March 8, 1927. 1,619,877'

C. L. MELHINCH AUTOMATIC SWITCH Filed Dec. 29. 1923 Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

unire u stares CHARLES L. MELHINCH, 0F CARBONDALE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC swimcn,

Applicationvled December 29, 1928.

rPhe chief object. of the invention is to so i modit'y the alarm mechanism ot an alarm clock that said mechanism is adapted, when released at a predetermined time by the time` I attain this and other related objects by the improvements hereinafter described andi claimed.

Ot the accompanyingv drawings forming al part of this specification,-

Figure 1 is a side view of an automatic switch embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 oi Fig,- ures 1 andr 3.

Figure 3 is a Section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a section on lineA-l ot, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 ot Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6 6 ot Figure 5.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the tigures.

The drawings show a clockl which is enclosedfin a case l() and. includes atimc mechanismand well linownelcmcnts ot au alarm mechanism, the usual gong or audible signal: heilig omitted. The case is oblong` as shown by Figures 1 and 3, and its dial side has at one end portion an opening lOLL ea:- posingthel clock dial. The dial' side has an extended portion l()b beside the opening'` throughwhich project the winding post: and thc handle ofthe stop hereinafter described; The time mechanism in this instance. come prises aY driving spring l2, connected as usual, with a gear 14 meshing with apinion 15, on the center arbor 16. This arbor car.- ries the minute hand 17 and the usualy tubiu lar shaft or sleeve 18, carrying the'fhour hand lll. Thev other illustrated elements ot the time mechanism are so well known that no further tleseriptien is` deemednecessarf Serial No. 683,345.

The alarml mechanism, as here shown, comprises ay driving spring 20, adapted, as usual, to rotate an arbon 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow a9 in Figure 3,.when the alarm mechanism is released at: a predetermined time by a trip or let-ott' device operated inthe usual-way, by the time mechanism, the rotation ot the arbor being controlled by a-suitable escapement, such as that shown by` Figure 3, including an escapey wheel 23; geared tothe arbor 22, and an anchor. 24e'7 having the usual pallets and adapted to be oscillated by the rotation ot` theescape wheel.

In an ordinary alarm clock the anchor 24 is provided with a hammer, which strikes a gong when the anchor is oscillated, and with a finger 25.v which is adapted to cooperate with the above-indicated let-ott device, to release the alarm mechanism at a predeterminedtime, which is determined by the rotative adjustment of; the usual setting shaft 26,.having at its outer end portion a trip cam 27 and a pointer 28. It is unnecessary to further describe the alarm-releasing means. Jfurtherthan to say that the setting shaft 26 is provided with a bevel-gear 29, the function of which will be described.

In carrying out my inventionl utilize the arbor 22, to` move a circuit-closing` switch when the alarm mechanism is released by the let-ott device, the hammer and gong being omitted.

Said' switch includes a-movable member or switch arm 30, fixedl to the arbor 22,. and a pair oiI .spring contacts or circuit terminals- 3l', spaced apart to receive the arm between them, as shown by Figure ll. The terminals 31 are insulated from each other by. insulaiing washers 32 and 38 (Figure il), and are included-'in alightingl circuit which includes headlights 3l. a tail light Bt, a source otv electricity 36, and suitable circuit wires.4 all as shown diagrammatically by Figure 3.

rlhe arrangement is such that when the alarm mechanism is lockedand inoperative, the switch arm 30 is Sepa-rated trom the terminals 31, as shown by full lines, the lightingI circuit being broken` and when the alarm mechanism is let off,'.the switch arm is moved to the dotted line position, and engages-the terminals to close the lighting circuit. i

The switch segment 58;

provided with a gear ,e emitting element ot'means for restoring the switch arm to its-circuitbreaking position, and at the same time, winding the spring 20. Said mechanism also includes a Winding post 39, journalediin and projecting through the extended portion 10b of the dial side of the caseA 10, and provided at its outer end with a knob or handle 40, a gear 41, fixed to the ,winding post Within the case, and an intermediate gear 42 meshing with the gear 41 and gear segment 38.

It is usually desirable that the lighting circuit be automatically Vclosed only at the hour prescribed in the latter part of the day for lighting motor vehicle lamps. To prevent the alarm mechanism from closing the circuit at the Vcorrespfmding vhour in the morning, I provide a stop 44, which is slidable on the back of the extended portion 10b, and is provided with a slot 45, re-

ceiving astud 46, fixed to the case44, and with a stud 47, movable in a slot 48 in the said extended portion, and provided with a `iandle 44aM (Figure-1). The stop is movable by said handle into the path of the switch arm 30, as shown by full lines, and out of said path, as shown by dott-ed lines, the handle 44a projecting-from the dial side of the case. Y

It will now 'be seen that when the alarm mechanism isV released, the stop being retracted, the lighting circuit is closed and the lamps therein remain lighted until the circuit is broken by the Withdrawal of the switch arm 30 from the contacts 31.

lt Will also be seen that the operation of withdrawing the switch arm, Which ismanuallyV performed by turning the handle 40, causes the Winding of the alarm spring 20, so that no care` is required Vto keep said spring wound. It should be here stated that the alarm mechanism includes, as usual, a

Y ratchet 50, Vand a pawl 51 (Figure 3), which cooperate to limit the manual rotation of the Winding post to one direction only, this being the direction required to cause the Winding of the spring 20,V and the Withdrawal of the switch arm from the circuit terminals.

It will novv be seen that extension 10b of the dial side of the case supports the Winding post andthe stop at one side of the dial,

and permits the-location of thehandles of the winding post and stop in position to enable the driver to Wind the spring, break the circuit and adjust the stop, Without removing the clock from the case.

My invention includes improved mechanism for Winding the time spring12, setting the hands, and rotatively adjusting the alarm setting shaft 26, said mechanism being operable by a single operating shaft 53, which is rotatable and movable endvvise, and projects through the casing 10, the shaft being V'provided with a knob or handle V54, Whereby it may be rotated and moved endwise,

the arrangement being such that by suitably manipulating the handle 54, the above-mentioned operation Vmay be separately performed.

The operating shaft 53 is journaled and movable endtvise in a bearing 55, and is provided with a gear 56, which `is fixed to the shaft. Meshing with the gear 56V is an intermediate gear 57, fixed to a short shaft 53, Which is journaled in bearings in supporting plates 59 and 60, and is provided with collars 6l engaging said plates, and confining the same, so that they are movable by the operating shaft 53 When the latter is moved endvvise.

ln the plate 59 is journaled a short shaft 62, which is supported by and movable endvvise in a bearing 63. To the shaft 62 is fixed a gear 64, meshing .with the intermediate gear 57.

Journaled in one end of the plate 6() is a shaft 65, alined with the operating shaft 53, and provided with a ratchet 66, engaging a pawl 67, which is pivoted to the gear 56. The shaft 65 is elongated and provided with a bevel gear 68, adapted to mesh separably with a bevel gear 69 on the center shaft 16. The shaft 65 is provided also With a bevel gear 7 O, adapted to mesh separably with the bevel gear 29 on the alarmy setting shaft 26. Y

Journaled in the opposite end of the plate 60 is a shaft 71, alined with th-e. short shaft 62, and provided with a ratchet-7 2, engaging a paivl 73,' which is pivoted to the gear 64. rihe shaft 71 is elongated and provided with a bevel gear 74, meshing continuously with a bevel gear 75, fixed to the shaft 76, which is rotated by the main spring 12. The shaft 71 may be made in two sections, having Va slip joint at 77, so that the inner shaft portion having the pavvl 73, may be moved endvvise, Without movement of the outer portion having the gear 7 4, provision being thus made for permitting endwise movement of the shafts 53, 62 and 65, and the inner portion of the shaft 71, the outer portion of the last-mentioned shaft, and the gear 74 carried thereby, having no endivise movement, and the gear 74 being constantly in engagement with the gear 7 5.

The supporting plate 59 is confined lUU against the gears 56 and 64V bycollars 80,

is out of mesh with the gear 29` of the alarm-setting shaft, as shown by full lines.

The rat-chets 66 and 72 are oppositely arranged, as shown by Figure 5, the arrangement being such that when the gear 68 is engaged with the center shaft gear 69, the only result of the rotation of the handle 5st is the setting of the clock hands, there being no rotation of the shaft 7l, because the pawl 73 lslips idly on the ratchet 72.

lhen the gear 70 is engaged with the gear 29 of the alarm-setting shaft, the only result of the rotation of the handle 54 is the rotative adjustment of said setting shaft. The handle 54 is rotated in one and the same direction both in setting the hands and adliusting the alarm-setting shaft.

The winding of the main spring l2 is caused by an opposite rotation of the handle 5e, this rotation causing the pawl 73 to operatively engage the ratchet 72 and rotate the shaft 7l and the gear 74e engaged with the main spring shaft, theJ pawl 67 slipping idly on the ratchet 66, so that the shaft 65 and its gears are not rotated.

It will now be s-een that the operator is enabled to separately set the clock hands and the alarm mechanism and wind the timemechauism spring by the manipulation of a single knob or handle, instead of having to separately manipulate a plurality of knobs or handles as heretofore.

I am not limited to the torque-transmitting connections between the single operating shaft 53, and the shafts 16, Q6 and 76, shown by the drawings, and may employ any other suitable connections having provisions for turning either of the shafts 16 and 26 selectively, without turning the other and the shaft 76, when the operating shaft 53 is turned in a given direction, and for turning the shaft 7 6 independently, without turning the shafts 16 and 26 when the operating shaft is turned in the opposite direction.

The case 10 is preferably attachable in the inclined position shown by Figure 2, to the dash 85 of an automobile, the case being provided with flanges 86, which iare bolted to the dash at opposite edges of an opening in the latter, so that the lower portion of the case, and the operating knob or handle 54 projecting therefrom, are at the inner or rear sido of the dash facing the driver, the clock dial being inclined, so that it may be conveniently Iseen by the driver.

I claim:

An alarm clock, comprising alarm mechanism including a driving spring, an arbor rotatable thereby; means for timing` the release of the alarm mechanism including a rotatively adjustable setting shaft; and time mechanism which includes a driving spring, a spring-winding shaft and a center lshaft constituting an element of hands-setting means; a switch arm fixed to and movable by said arbor; circuitterminals adapted to cooperate with said arm in closing an elec- .tric circuit, when the alarm mechanism is released; and operating mechanism for manually and separately operating said shafts to time the release of the alarm mechanism, set the hands, and wind the time-mechanism spring, said operating mechanism including a single operating Ishaft which is manually rotatable and movable endwise, torquetransmitting connections between said operating shaft and the said alarm setting and center shafts, having provisions for turn'ng said shafts selectively when the operating shaft is turned in a given direction, and torque-transmitting connections between the operating shaft and the spring-winding shaft, having provisions for turning the latter when the operating shaft is turn-ed in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

CHARLES L. MELHINCH. 

